Preview: UFC Vegas 102 Prelims

Bantamweights

Elijah Smith (7-1, 0-0 UFC) vs. Vince Morales (16-8, 3-6 UFC)

ODDS: Smith (-180), Morales (+150)

Morales’ return to the UFC was a pleasant surprise, though “Vandetta” once again seems destined to be both too good for the regional scene while struggling at the major promotion level. There’s a lot to like about Morales, as he’s a sharp and accurate boxer who has done well to also leverage some solid wrestling and grappling skills in between UFC stints. However, he’s a dedicated counterstriker without a ton of power who also takes a while to warm up, all of which adds up to one issue too many against a high level of competition. He’s an extremely tough out who remains hard to finish, but a lot of Morales’ UFC fights have seen him struggle to get things going until it’s too late for him to take over a fight. Still, there are enough raw talents on the UFC roster that Morales figures to be able to get some wins through his veteran expertise, and that could be the case here against a newcomer in Smith.

There’s a lot to like about Smith as a long-term prospect, though this is probably all too much too soon for the 22-year-old. The son of UFC alum Gilbert Smith, he can pick some effective spots on the feet and has some solid skills on the mat in his back pocket, but he has yet to string together the type of dominant performances over better regional competition that make him a sure bet when things get tough. While Morales represents a major step up in competition for Smith, this could wind up as a forgiving matchup for the UFC debutant. Morales is likelier than most to consent to his opponent’s preferred slow pace, and Smith is the type of long athlete who has often succeeded in freezing the Syndicate MMA rep out of his path to success. Even so, it’s hard to bet against Morales’ experience here. It might take him a while to build steam, but he doesn’t go away easily and should wind up dragging Smith into his toughest fight yet. The pick is Morales via decision.

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